Tokyo Haneda slot - how will Virgin Operate it?

[hwy]

The Virgin 737 flight CNS- HND in the front of the bus was a farce. One of the worst 'business class' flights ever. Even at the giveaway prices they were selling the flights when launched, it was not worth the money at all. It would be better to fly economy and have no expectations other than to get you to your destination.

 

[docjames]

Any ideas how loads are going? (Let alone yields…….)

 

[serfty]

The Virgin 737 flight CNS- HND in the front of the bus was a farce. One of the worst 'business class' flights ever. Even at the giveaway prices they were selling the flights when launched, it was not worth the money at all. It would be better to fly economy and have no expectations other than to get you to your destination.

Can you advise what happened or didn't happen to make you feel that way?

 

[Harrison_133]

Any ideas how loads are going? (Let alone yields…….)

The last six months using the most recent BITRE data:

October: Inbound - 71.3%, Outbound - 64.7%
November: Inbound - 66.4%, Outbound - 69.7%
December: Inbound - 69.0%, Outbound - 77.4%
January: Inbound - 72.7%, Outbound - 66.0%
February: Inbound - 82.4%, Outbound - 68.9%
March: Inbound - 70.2%, Outbound - 71.8%

Source: International Airline Activity—Monthly Publications

 

[Quickstatus]

71.3%

% of available seats or % of total seats on the 737Max?

 

[Harrison_133]

% of available seats or % of total seats on the 737Max?

% of total seats onboard the aircraft

 

[hwy]

One cabin- not separated from economy, a constant line for the bathroom- including the bathroom at the front of the plane. And the service was lacking. Honestly feel more welcome on a domestic Virgin flight. There are only 8 seats in biz class, and yet even getting a glass of water outside of meal service was difficult.

 

[The-Aviator]

Those load factors are higher than I expected!

Apart from DSC/TSC status runs it's personally hard to justify taking the route. As least for Sydney, direct Y flights are competitive and ANA seems to do direct J for about $3k return quite regularly.

 

[HS-TQE]

Considering the inbound is higher than the outbound for most months, it suggests the Queensland Taxpayer funded AAIF (& CNS Airport/North Queensland Tourism funds) has been pumped into advertising North Queensland to the Japanese through the VA service.

 

[Quickstatus]

% of total seats onboard the aircraft

Are any of the seats blocked off and not occupied for aircraft range reasons (3 already allocated to CC)

 

[serfty]

One cabin- not separated from economy, a constant line for the bathroom- including the bathroom at the front of the plane. And the service was lacking. Honestly feel more welcome on a domestic Virgin flight. There are only 8 seats in biz class, and yet even getting a glass of water outside of meal service was difficult.

Thank you. Seems the main issue was with the flight attendents.

The other things you mention are known facits of this flight which is really premium economy for an international service and priced as such.

As for the FA's, they should have stopped economy passengers from using the forward lavatories and been more proactive/attentive.

I suggest filing a complaint regarding the Flight Attendants.

You can do that here:

Complaints and compliments form | Virgin Australia

Contact our Guest Contact Centre or leave a complaint or compliment relating to a Virgin Australia flight.

www.virginaustralia.com

 

[encryptededdy]

% of available seats or % of total seats on the 737Max?

Available should == total now, right? I don't think they're blocking any seats on the MAX to my knowledge.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Considering ANA was offering business class return from Sydnet for around $2800… seems a no brainier when VA was charging the same price.

VA should be pitching their business class on that route as premium economy, which is what it essentially is. Actually it’s probably a degree or two below JQ, and certainly not even on par with QF’s PEY product.

 

[encryptededdy]

VA should be pitching their business class on that route as premium economy, which is what it essentially is. Actually it’s probably a degree or two below JQ, and certainly not even on par with QF’s PEY product.

Yeah, I find that NH and JL consistently has PE for more or less the same price as VA "Business" (with lounge access too!!). QF unfortunately doesn't have PE on this route anymore, which I find quite annoying.

Of course, Sydney is not Cairns, so I'm interested in seeing how what proportion of passengers on the current service are connecting from Sydney (and any other city where direct flights are available)

 

[HS-TQE]

HND-CNS is largely a inbound route (with some exceptions such as the school holidays), thus VA is largely competing for "low yield" scraps for outbound/holiday travel to Japan.

Whilst inbound has funding assistance from the AAIF and North Queensland Tourism bodies to promote Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef to the Japanese.

 

[stm1sydney]

Thank you. Seems the main issue was with the flight attendents.

To be fair, policing the forward toilet is a tough gig for FAs on these planes without the divider and rope. It only takes a couple of seconds for a Y pax to nip up there while the FA is in the galley preparing food or drink. VA really needs to pull its finger out on the divider and rope in the new and updated cabins.

 

[jakeseven7]

To be fair, policing the forward toilet is a tough gig for FAs on these planes without the divider and rope. It only takes a couple of seconds for a Y pax to nip up there while the FA is in the galley preparing food or drink. VA really needs to pull its finger out on the divider and rope in the new and updated cabins.

Their market research indicates that Ropey is quite possibly not coming back in the new / updated cabins and even the divider is a TBC

 

[serfty]

Their market research indicates that Ropey is quite possibly not coming back in the new / updated cabins and even the divider is a TBC

A member here who is a VA FA has indicated the Rope won't be coming back.

 

[Quickstatus]

I don't think they're blocking any seats on the MAX to my knowledge.

I don't know except I think 3 Y seats are blocked off for cabin crew.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

I feel sorry for anyone who has to fly on this.